Weekend Escapade: Istanbul

I know it's been a little while since my last post, but without steady access to a camera, it's hard to document my experiences! Last weekend, my friend and I had an amazing time in Budapest -- I'll post more about that when I can show you photos from the opera house. 

Anyways, this weekend, I traveled to Istanbul! I've had this trip booked for what feels like months, and it seemed like it would never come. I was so excited when we finally took off for Turkey. And, I was not disappointed. We hadn't even been in the city limits more than half an hour and I was already in love. I can't even really put my finger on what it is that makes me love Istanbul, but there's just something in the air... The streets, markets, culture, food, people. 

The first day, we arrived in the city around noon, and spent the rest of the day wandering. We stumbled upon the Spice Bazaar, walked along the straight and tried some of the local seafood, and of course tasted some treats. Baklava?? Turkish Delight?? So. Good.

 

 

The next day, we saw some of the more major sites, and walked over to Taksim Square and Galata Tower. We spent a lot of the day in the markets and Grand Bazaar. The Grand Bazaar is fun to walk through, but not the best for finding a good deal, even with haggling. There's an outdoor market of sorts, basically a mass of narrow streets filled with vendors, in between the Spice Bazaar and the Grand Bazaar where I found some great gifts for family and friends back home!

The next day, we did it all. We went to the Aya Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, and the Basilica Cistern. I'm not sure which was my favorite; I'm torn between the Blue Mosque and the cistern. Two of the pillars in the cistern have Medusa heads on the bottom, and no one knows for certain how or why they're there. One of the many mysteries of Istanbul.

 

These pictures certainly don't do Istanbul justice. And besides the famous historical monuments, the food was delicious and the people were incredibly nice. We were hosted in restaurants and lounges by some amazing folk, who eagerly gave us great local knowledge and at times even walked us to our next destination. I would love to return to Istanbul someday, there's something truly magical about the city. 

Weekend Escapade: Szentendre

This weekend, I was home in Budapest. Even though I'm here during the week and about every other weekend, I really want to get to know Hungary before I leave. I want to see more than just Budapest. The first weekend I was here, wayyy back in the beginning of September, I took a trip to a town off the coast of Lake Balaton. However, besides that, I haven't really explored any other Hungarian cities. 

So, on Sunday, a group of us took the commuter rail to Szentendre, a cute little town about 45 minutes outside of Budapest. It wasn't the best day for touring, and we ended up getting rained out around 1 PM but it was still cool to see! 

I'll be in Budapest this weekend too; one of my good friends who studies in Milan is coming to visit! Can't wait to show her around. And, I finally get to experience the famous Budapest Opera! 

Weekend Escapade: Serbia, Macedonia, Greece, Bulgaria, and Romania

Yep.. You read the title right. 

Last week, me and four friends road tripped down through Serbia and Macedonia to Thessaloniki. We drove through Bulgaria and Romania on the route home. It's hard to describe the trip; it was spontaneous and amazing and something I never thought I'd get the chance to experience. 

We left the night of Tuesday, Oct 22nd, because Oct 23rd is a national holiday, and our classes the following Thursday were canceled. When we left, we had no plans. No hotels/hostels booked - just us and the car. We drove through the night, driving through Belgrade, and we stopped in Macedonia to eat and recharge. Macedonia reminded me so much of the States.. Rolling hills and forested countryside. The restaurant we stumbled on was delicious and pretty cheap. So far, so good. 

We continued on to Greece. The weather was perfect - hot and sunny the entire weekend. It was such a nice break from cold and often overcast Budapest.

We drove to Thessaloniki. [fun fact: my Greek heritage actually traces back to Thessaloniki!] I wasn't sure what to expect, but the city was pretty dilapidated. Many of the buildings were unfinished or crumbled, and the streets were dirty. It didn't matter to us though, and we drove along the water till we hit a small town outside of the city. We found a nice beach, spent the afternoon there, and decided that's where we would spend the night. Two slept in the car, and then three of us slept on the beach. It was pretty amazing, the only hitch being the packs of feral cats and dogs that would say hello to us every now and then..

Our main goal in Greece was to hike Mt. Olympus, which was about two hours from where we slept. We awoke, found some food and provisions, and headed to the mountain. Now, I'm not particularly fit or hiking-oriented, but a couple of the guys in the group are. So, I was a little nervous about making it up the mountain.. but obviously I still wanted to try. 

The mountain is absolutely incredible. It is huge, and because of how large it is, I felt like I was experiencing all the seasons in one hike. The base is thick with trees, most of which are red and yellow, their leaves covering the trail/forest floor. Then, after some ascent, you enter a more evergreen level that's a bit more rocky. After that, you're in the process of passing the tree line, and are amidst the clouds, hiking rocks and boulders. The next level, which I didn't make it to, is above the clouds, and I think it's only rocks. All that, on one mountain, in one hike. I can see why the ancient Greeks believed Gods lived at the top.

 

^^  This picture is looking down into the mountain. 

After that, we were all exhausted. I probably could've fallen asleep standing up. We drove from the base down to a little mountain town called Litochoro. What a great find. Litochoro is an adorable, romantic town with a lovely square and some good, cheap food. We found a hotel that could accommodate us, and we all split a room. Oh god did I appreciate that shower. I think I still had some sand in my ears from sleeping on the beach the night before.

^^  The gang in Litochoro with Mt. Olympus in the background. 

The next morning, our plan was to drive to Sofia, but stop at a lake on the border of Greece and Bulgaria on the way. It was hard to leave Greece, because everything we'd done there had been so amazing, but we all really wanted to see Sofia. The drive from Litochoro to the lake was picturesque - we truly experience rural, Greek countryside. When we arrived at the lake we realized it wasn't actually that great of a place to swim, so we just relaxed in the sun for a while. Wild horses and goats wandered about..

 

We finally decided to leave Greece, and off we headed to Sofia. Before we got there though, we wanted to stop at a very cool national park in Bulgaria, Belogradchik. It was a fortress at some point in history, built there because of the naturally occurring rock formations.  

Sorry for all the pictures, but as you can see it, the park is beautiful. And unlike in American parks, there are no railings or fences to keep people off of the rocks. We were able to climb out, possibly to our deaths, and see a fantastic view of the sun setting over the hills.

We made it to Sofia that night, found a hostel, and passed out. The next morning, we went on a free walking tour of the city. What a cool place! I really knew nothing about the city before arriving, but it's so rich in history. It dates back to before the Romans, and you can actually see some of the excavated Roman architecture. Each level of the city is from a different age, which is incredible. Many of the buildings are beautiful as well, often topped in gold. And of course, there's still remnants from the Communist era all around.

 

 

 After seeing Sofia, we hopped back in the car and began the journey home. We drove through Romania but it was the middle of the night, and none of us really wanted to stay somewhere and explore that area the next day. We slept and drove, drove and slept through the night and were in Hungary by morning. 

Five days, about 1500 miles.. Definitely a trip for the books. One of the most unique experiences I've had this semester, and easily one of the best. 

Shoes on the Danube

The weather has been absolutely lovely in Budapest for the last week or so, which has given me a chance to do some more exploring. On the edge of the Danube, there's a famous monument called Shoes on the Danube. I had heard of it before coming to Budapest, but I didn't know what it stood for. In all honesty, it's probably one of the most moving and eerie statues I've ever seen. When Hungary was occupied by Germany at the end of WW2, from 1944-1945, the Jews in Budapest were rigorously hunted. Budapest had not really deported many Jews to concentration camps during the war, but once German soldiers occupied the city, Jewish people were deported in thousands to camps, sent on death marches, or just shot outright on the streets or in their homes. 

On one of the last days before Budapest was liberated by the Soviets, the Arrow Cross Party [Hungary's version of the Nazi Party] forced dozens of Jews to the edge of the Danube and shot them point blank into the river. Men, women, and children alike. This monument is a permanent marker to remind citizens and visitors of what took place on the banks of the Danube. The metal shoes are modeled after actual shoes that would have been worn in the 1940s.

Budapest is full of history and absolutely beautiful and moving monuments, and I hope that I continue to discover them throughout my time here. 

On a different note, stay tuned for a recap of my past weekend.. a road trip that was spontaneous and unexpected in all the right ways.

The Streets

There's a lot of street art in Budapest - on the streets, walls, transport.. Sure, there's a decent amount of graffiti as well, but most of the markings are artistic and often times political. I've been trying to capture some of what I see, and here are a few images. 

There will definitely be more installments to come.. I just need to find a camera first. If you haven't heard, my phone was stolen about a week ago. My iPhone was my only camera for the trip, so I've been deliberating about what I should do to fix the situation, because I definitely need a camera during my time here. I'm going to try and find a cheap digital camera as soon as possible.

The Food Chronicles: Part 2

So, it's been a little while since I did a food post.. But I've been eating pretty well. I cannot get over how rich and heavy the food is here. Salad? I'm not even really sure what that is anymore. I've been doing more of my own cooking in the less-than-amazing communal kitchen here, and that basically consists of sautéing zucchini or cauliflower and making pasta. Very gourmet. 

 

First off, GYROS. A staple here. They are so delicious and cheap [500 HUF.. about $2] and warm and seasoned and did I mention delicious..  And hey, there's some cabbage and stuff in there. Vegetables, right?

 

Next staple: pastries. Also incredible cheap, about 200 HUF. Pastry places, called 'pékség,' are everywhere and it's so hard to not just buy everything in the case all the time. 

 

I don't usually eat at sit-down restaurants, cause they're typically more expensive, but when I have, there's often really great chicken dishes. Of course, Hungary is famous for the chicken paprika, which is a must try, but the other chicken I've tried has been pretty good too. 

 

Few places serve actual breakfast, but there's a cute cafe right next to my dorm that serves up muesli, yogurt, fruit, orange juice, and an espresso for 1500 HUF. It's perfect for weekends or a treat on a weekday morning. 

 

Yep, burger and fries. French fries are a big thing here. They're served with so many different meals. 

 

Now this is actually a meal I had in Prague, but it's pretty similar to a traditional Hungarian dish. It's pork wrapped in a potato pancake and then fried. Fried food. It's a very, very big thing here. Also, drinking beer with every meal is common as well. And I mean every meal, as in breakfast too. 

 

 Along the fried thread... This creation is a traditional Hungarian dish called 'langos.' It's a fried dough pancake smothered in sour cream, cheese, and sausage/bacon, typically. You can get other toppings too, like I opted for onions, and there are usually also pepper choices and maybe other kinds of meat.